Topping out at Liverpool’s tallest hotel
Morgan Sindall Construction has reached the highest point of its construction work delivering the building that will become the tallest hotel in Liverpool.
The topping out of the new flagship Novotel hotel within the city’s Knowledge Quarter has been marked by the release of new images of the 16-storey tower.
Positioned opposite the new Royal Liverpool Hospital, the £38m, 221-room Novotel hotel will become the highest in Liverpool and is located in Paddington Village within the 450-acre Knowledge Quarter Liverpool (KQ Liverpool) Mayoral Development Zone.
Paddington Village – one of Liverpool City Council’s biggest regeneration schemes of the decade – is a £1bn expansion site east of the city centre which, when complete, will be a key part of one of the UK’s leading innovation districts incorporating new science, technology, education and health space.
The new hotel will be a UK flagship for global hospitality group, Accor, with exceptional design features in both public spaces and bedrooms. The design is led by Ryder Architecture and the hotel’s public areas have been designed by Koncept, with Faithful+Gould serving as project managers.
The hotel is set to open in Spring 2022 and will be managed by Legacy Hotels & Resorts, an existing Accor partner and the management company for Accor’s Pullman Liverpool located on the waterfront by the ACC arena and convention centre.
Richard Potts, Liverpool area director for Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “Although we’ve not been able to mark the topping out of the Novotel in Paddington Village with a traditional ceremony, it’s still right that we celebrate what is an excellent achievement by everyone who has played a role in getting us to this moment in the project.”
He added: “The hospitality sector will be crucial to supporting the economic recovery of the Liverpool City Region in the wake of COVID-19, and we’re very proud to be playing our role in creating what is not only a visually dynamic new building, but also a source both of employment opportunities for local people and a destination that will welcome people from around the world to our wonderful city for many years to come.”
Acting Mayor for Liverpool, Cllr Wendy Simon, said: “The topping out of the new Novotel is the latest landmark moment for Paddington Village and for Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter.
“Despite the pandemic, progress at Paddington Village has been hugely impressive and its transformation over the past 12 months has been remarkable in the circumstances. We all look forward to the day when this new hotel opens and welcomes its first guests.
“In many ways these new buildings not only point to the future growth of Liverpool but in this era of lockdowns they also provide hope that there will be soon be a better tomorrow – and we have a legion of scientists and medics, many of whom work in our Knowledge Quarter, to thank for that achievement.”
Phillip Lassman, vice president of development, Accor Northern Europe, said: “This is a key moment in a significant development for both the city and Accor. Liverpool is a vibrant city. We believe the new Novotel hotel will be a great fit for the Paddington Village area. The hotel will be a UK flagship and a major step for the brand in design terms.”
Paul Bell, partner at Ryder, said: “Novotel will be a great addition to Paddington Village, creating a bold, positive marker for Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter when entering the city from Edge Lane.”
Morgan Sindall Construction’s other projects at the Knowledge Quarter include The Spine – the Royal College of Physicians’ (RCP) new £35m Northern home – which is now approaching completion.
